2021 Best Tech Startups in Austin

August 13, 2020November 2, 2022 thetechtribune

The Tech Tribune staff has compiled the very best tech startups in Austin, Texas. In doing our research, we considered several factors including but not limited to:

Revenue potential
Leadership team
Brand/product traction
Competitive landscape

Additionally, all companies must be independent (unacquired), privately owned, at most 10 years old, and have received at least one round of funding in order to qualify.

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1. RigUp

Founded: 2014

Also honored in:

“RigUp empowers the men and women who power the world. We are the energy industry’s marketplace for service providers.

Our vision is to empower all the men and women who power the world by creating economic opportunity and building community across the strongest network in the energy industry.

Our mission is to transform the energy industry into an efficient, highly effective landscape where buyers and service-providers connect effortlessly to get the job done—whenever, wherever.”

2. WP Engine

Founded: 2010

Also honored in:

“WP Engine is the WordPress technology company that is home to the most trusted brands and developer-centric products in WordPress, including WP Engine, Flywheel, Local and Genesis. WP Engine’s solutions for companies and agencies of all sizes are relied on by 150,000 customers in more than 150 countries. Founded in 2010, WP Engine is headquartered in Austin, Texas and has more than 1,000 employees in seven offices across five countries.

5% of the web passes through a site powered by WP Engine every day.

WP Engine is the fastest platform on desktop and mobile for WordPress.

WP Engine hosts more of the top 10M, Alexa-ranked sites than any other WordPress provider.

We have the Largest and most Awarded Customer Success Team in WordPress, Available 24/7/365.”

3. SparkCognition

Founded: 2013

Also honored in: 2020 Best Tech Startups in Texas

“SparkCognition builds leading artificial intelligence solutions to advance the most important interests of society. We help customers analyze complex data, empower decision making, and transform human and industrial productivity with award-winning machine learning technology and expert teams focused on defense, IIoT, and finance.”

4. OJO

Founded: 2015

Also honored in: 2020 Best Tech Startups in Austin

“OJO Labs, Inc. is on a mission to empower people to make better decisions through the fusion of machine and human intelligence. The first application of its patented technology is in real estate. OJO is revolutionizing the way people access real estate information and purchase a home by inverting the current model and placing full-control back into the hands of consumers. OJO provides agents and brokers the ability to be connected with home buyers when they are ready to move forward through warm and informed introductions – creating a positive experience for everyone. OJO Labs is focused on delivering a data-driven and truly-conversational AI platform that enables home buyers and sellers to make intelligent decisions throughout their entire real estate transaction journey.”

5. DISCO

Founded: 2012

Also honored in:

“As the leading provider of software as a service solutions developed by lawyers for lawyers, DISCO is reinventing legal technology to automate and simplify complex and error-prone tasks that distract from practicing law. DISCO has been embraced by more than 400 law firms, including 50 of the top AmLaw 200, as their first choice for innovative technologies that enhance the practice of law to help secure justice and win cases.”

6. Ambiq Micro

Founded: 2010

Also honored in: 2018 Best Tech Startups in Texas

“Ambiq Micro was founded in 2010 on the simple yet powerful notion that extremely low-power semiconductors are the key to the future of electronics. Through the use of pioneering ultra-low power technology, innovative companies around the world are developing differentiated solutions that reduce or eliminate the need for batteries, reduce overall system power and maximize industrial design flexibility. Ambiq Micro has developed breakthrough technology based on its patented Subthreshold Power Optimized Technology (SPOT™) platform that dramatically reduces the amount of power consumed by semiconductors, thus making its integrated circuits (ICs) an ideal solution for energy-critical applications.”

7. The Zebra

Founded: 2012

Also honored in:

“The Zebra is the nation’s most comprehensive and most visited online insurance comparison marketplace. Since 2012, The Zebra has led the charge to bring transparency to the auto and home insurance industry – to make insurance black and white.

The Zebra’s unique and powerful technology provides real-time rates and educational resources to inform consumers and help them find the coverage, service level, and pricing to suit their unique needs, while simultaneously helping insurance companies connect with the consumers they best serve in today’s digital world.

Insurance in black & white.® Compare quotes from top insurance companies in seconds.”

8. Vapor IO

Founded: 2015

“Vapor creates data driven data center environments.

Vapor IO has introduced the world’s first hyper collapsed and truly data defined data center solution ready to lead our industry towards embracing the knowledge economy. Through our open source hardware and software, we’ve made the disaggregated data center a reality.”

9. DOSH

Founded: 2016

Also honored in:

“As the fastest growing app that finds cash for consumers and helps businesses acquire and retain customers, Dosh is revolutionizing the way the world does cash back.

Dosh users get cash back for shopping and dining out at more than 100,000 businesses nationwide. Using breakthrough technology to eliminate wasted advertising spend, Dosh puts that money back into the pockets of consumers and businesses. No cutting coupons. No scanning receipts. No hassle. Just cold, hard cash. Doshers can then transfer the cash directly into a bank account or PayPal, or donate to a charity.”

10. ClearDATA

Founded: 2011

Also honored in: 2020 Best Tech Startups in Austin

“ClearDATA is the market leader for cloud computing and information security services for the healthcare industry. ClearDATA’s innovative, HITRUST-certified cloud solutions protect customers from data privacy risks, improve their data management, and scale their healthcare IT infrastructure, enabling the industry to focus on making healthcare better by improving healthcare delivery.”

11. Homeward

Founded: 2018

“We’re an Austin-based proptech company. We help homebuyers make all-cash offers to win in a competitive real estate market. And, if they already own a home, we also help them buy before they sell.”